Dutch police are harshly critical of the prosecutor, who released them a few hours later after announcing the arrest of more than 1,500 environmental activists. Why: The demonstration against new fossil fuel subsidies was largely peaceful, albeit unauthorized. Organizers of the Extinction Rebellion organization, which was officially banned by the municipality, held a protest in The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands. It wasn’t the first such protest, the seventh protest in that area, but it was one of the most attended: nearly 6,000 protesters blocked the A12 highway, known as Utrechtsebaan. “A total of 1,579 people have been arrested, 40 of which will be prosecuted,” including vandalism and humiliation, police said in a statement.
According to reports in the Dutch press, the officers dispersed the activists with water cannon, who blocked a main road to the city center. Among the protesters were several Dutch celebrities, including Carice van Houten, best known for her role as Melisandre in the hit TV series ‘Game of Thrones’. She was released shortly after her arrest, when police allowed her to go home, according to the Dutch news agency ANP. Police did not specify whether the woman was among those to be prosecuted.
The prosecution’s press office said most of the 1,587 arrested were later released and would not face prosecution. 48 detainees arrested for crimes such as vandalism or defamation were also released on Saturday evening. A climate activist is still in jail after resisting arrest and biting an officer, according to police reports. Of the 48 arrested, 11 were arrested for vandalism and 34 for obstructing or obstructing circulation, the NL Times website reported. Among them was a parent with a child, while two others were arrested for obstruction and humiliation.
The choice to evacuate led to criticism from the police, who instead sought to prosecute all demonstrators of the mass protest. “We are in contact with many police officers and we are very disappointed,” Jan Struys, head of the Dutch police union, told RTL Nieuws. “Self […] you start making mass arrests as police because so many crimes have been committed and then there are automatic dismissals for almost all cases, which is not exactly the best for motivation.” said.
The prosecutor justified on his website his decision not to prosecute the vast majority of those arrested, that the protest was peaceful, there were no reprehensible acts (such as vandalism or assault) and the degree of disturbance caused by the demonstration. has been limited. According to the police, its peaceful aspect does not justify the presence of demonstrators on the street. “Of course it’s nice when people act peacefully, but it’s still a demonstration, you’re blocking a national road, diverting citizens, ambulances and other road users to get to The Hague,” said Jan Struys. An alarming index of how the forces of order live out the democratic idea of opposition expression.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
